Lomax Training Services Limited

Lomax Training Services Limited

Address: Old Gas Depot, Howdon Lane, WALLSEND, Tyne & Wear, NE28 0BD Unique reference number (URN): 57907

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have a clear approach to inclusion and have created a positive culture for apprentices. Apprentices feel welcome and supported. They feel comfortable to disclose any barriers to learning they may have.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff identify apprentices’ barriers to learning quickly, such as learning support needs, financial hardship and whether they are care experienced. They ensure that apprentices have the support and resources they need, such as voice recognition software for apprentices with dyslexia. Staff generally monitor the impact of support effectively through discussion at progress reviews and, when appropriate, reducing it as apprentices become more independent. Leaders have recently put a revised process in place to monitor and record the effectiveness of this support. This process still needs time to establish so that all staff are fully informed of any amendments to support that are required.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff are well trained to support apprentices’ mental health and wellbeing. They are qualified in level 3 mental health first aid. Leaders implement wellness action plans for apprentices, where needed, such as referral to external counselling. Staff support apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) appropriately, but training does not include a deeper awareness of different types of SEND and strategies to support apprentices with a diverse range of needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the provision. Leaders largely take appropriate action to achieve improvements. They have improved the recruitment of, and initial advice and guidance given to apprentices, to ensure that they enrol the right apprentices to the right courses. Achievement rates are also improving as a result of leaders' actions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Senior leaders have recruited governors with appropriate expertise. Governors provide valuable support to leaders and provide effective scrutiny and challenge by analysing data and asking pertinent questions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and mangers are mindful of the workload and wellbeing of staff. Staff work in a close-knit environment where they feel well supported and have not experienced bullying or harassment. Leaders support staff with their wellbeing. They provide valuable support to staff experiencing mental health and wellbeing difficulties.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have forged productive relationships with a range of stakeholders that inform curriculum planning. They work closely with industry bodies and employers in the gas industry. This enables them to ensure that apprentices develop up-to-date industry knowledge and skills. Leaders work closely with Energy and Utility Skills and are members of the Institute of Gas Engineers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide valuable training to further improve trainers’ teaching skills on topics such as questioning techniques and feedback to apprentices. They carefully plan staff training in line with the outcome of observations of training sessions.

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Achievement Expected standard

A high proportion of apprentices achieve their qualification. The percentage of apprentices completing and achieving their apprenticeship has increased recently. However, the proportion of apprentices achieving distinction grades in their final assessment is low.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices with barriers to learning achieve in line with their peers. The very few apprentices who undertake functional skills mathematics achieve their qualifications.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices make positive progress in developing new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they implement in the workplace. They meticulously follow servicing procedures to ensure that appliances are working efficiently and not emitting carbon monoxide. Apprentices produce written and practical work of a good standard.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices gain useful English, mathematics and digital skills. For example, in mathematics, they accurately calculate ventilation requirements and supply pipe sizes.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices progress to positive destinations on completion of their apprenticeship. Nearly all stay with their employers, take on extra responsibilities and a few progress to become supervisors, managers or self-employed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum offer with a clear aim to register apprentices as gas safe engineers and network operatives. They work closely with employers to reduce the skills shortage in the gas industry. Leaders respond well to employer requests to amend the curriculums to meet their business needs. For example, they moved aspects of the gas safe certification earlier in the training programme so that apprentices can be more effective at work sooner.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers provide curriculums that are accessible for apprentices with additional learning needs. They provide information to apprentices with dyslexia that is broken down into small chunks and coloured overlays that help apprentices with reading. Trainers teach well-sequenced curriculums. They are acutely aware that the industry is highly regulated and requires apprentices to begin with developing a basic understanding of science through to its application to gas appliances and associated combustion to ensure that they understand how to work safely.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers have substantial experience of working in the gas industry. They use a range of effective teaching methods to pass on their expertise, such as explaining information clearly, providing demonstrations of practical tasks and using their industry experience to bring topics to life. Trainers complete regular industry updating to maintain their competence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers use a range of assessment strategies well to check apprentices’ understanding. For example, they use open questions, such as asking apprentices how they could locate a gas leak in a confined space, to explore apprentices’ understanding of engineering concepts. Trainers mostly provide clear feedback to help apprentices improve their work further. They visit apprentices in the workplace to observe them carrying out specific installation and repair tasks. However, when carrying out progress reviews, staff do not ensure that employers consistently attend these reviews to provide input into apprentices' progress.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have created a culture where apprentices feel safe and study in respectful learning environments. Staff inform apprentices of the zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory behaviour. Apprentices know who to contact if they need support or feel they have been unfairly treated.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices attend well and are mostly punctual to training sessions. Leaders monitor apprentices' attendance rigorously. If apprentices do not arrive on time, staff contact their employers to inform them.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices behave professionally in training sessions and in the workplace. They are aware of fundamental British values and their relevance in the classroom and at work. Apprentices show tolerance and respect when visiting customers of different backgrounds. They show patience when explaining temperature control systems and programmes to customers with additional needs.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Staff provide apprentices with valuable opportunities to become involved in community activities. For example, apprentices have installed carbon monoxide systems in local care homes to ensure the safety of elderly residents.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices receive useful careers information from trainers, which enables them to make informed decisions about their next steps. Leaders rightly recognise that they need to share information about all higher-level qualifications that apprentices can do in the future.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices have access to high-quality equipment and resources, which enhance their teaching and training experience. They use a workshop where they can practise their skills at the start of the course without fear of making mistakes. Apprentices practise laying pipework and soldering. Trainers have access to equipment that enables them to provide engaging demonstrations to apprentices, such as simulating gas explosions. Apprentices who are more experienced use a workshop filled with a range of gas appliances, such as boilers and cookers, where they carry out flue checks, fault finding and commissioning.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices benefit from completing extra qualifications during their time on the apprenticeship. They achieve vendor qualifications, which include certificated courses on unvented hot water systems, water regulations and energy efficiency.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices value the one-to-one pastoral sessions that leaders have recently introduced. They use these to have confidential discussions on personal and professional matters with staff. This enables apprentices who are experiencing financial hardship to discuss their concerns and to receive financial support.

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Next steps

Leaders should provide staff with further training in supporting apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities to increase their understanding, and knowledge of, how to support apprentices with diverse needs. Leaders should evaluate the effectiveness of the support provided to apprentices and share its impact with staff. Leaders should ensure that employers are sufficiently involved in reviewing the progress that apprentices make. Leaders should improve the quality of how staff record reviews of apprentices' progress so that they capture what apprentices have achieved since the previous review and their goals for the future. Leaders should provide apprentices with information about higher-level qualifications in the gas industry when providing careers information.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with apprentices, leaders, staff, employers, governors and external stakeholders during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Lomax Training Services Limited (LTS) is an independent learning provider that offers specialist training for the gas energy industry. It is based in North Tyneside and also has training centres in Sunderland and Selby. LTS provide apprenticeships that help to tackle the national shortage of skilled operatives in the energy sector. At the time of the inspection, there were 48 apprentices in learning of whom 19 were on level 2 gas network operative and 29 on level 3 gas engineering. Twenty-seven apprentices were aged 16-18 years.

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Team inspectors:

David Baber, Ofsted Inspector Glenise Burrell, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 11 August 2026

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national average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'. Managing director: Jim Lomax

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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